Economy to blame for empty land at Routes 4 and 43

NORTH GREENBUSH -- The parcel of land at the northeast corner of Routes 4 and 43 that has been a source of controversy for years remains empty in the wake of recent economic struggles, according to the developer.

Van Rensselaer Square was to have been a 240,000 square foot retail center, housing such big-name chain stores as Old Navy, TJ Maxx and Bed, Bath & Beyond. But Pete Clelland of BET Investments, the Pennsylvania-based firm developing the site, said the fall of the retail market has left those plans at a standstill.

The land has been cleared and the site is ready for construction, but "establishments aren't actively doing deals," Clelland said.

"We're at the point where we can build buildings, but we're not going to build without tenants," he added.

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Despite the current lack of interest from retailers, Clelland said that there are no plans to condense the size and scope of the development. He would not comment on which retailers were still being pursued for the plaza.

"They've had approval for some time now, and haven't been able to get an anchor store committed," Ashworth said. "Things have become very static."

Ashworth also said that BET has a list of smaller stores that they think will sign on, but are holding out until an anchor store joins the project.

The loss of sales tax, permit fees and other revenue that the plaza would generate has put the town "in a tough position," Ashworth said, hurting for the extra income that Van Rensselaer Square promised. Still, she's optimistic that plans will eventually move forward.

The idea for Van Rensselaer Square was first proposed close to 10 years ago, and met with fierce opposition from the Defreestville Area Neighborhood Association, who filed multiple lawsuits against the town to halt the project. The group eventually tried to form its own village, a plan that was defeated by the town as a whole at a 2005 referendum.

More legal action followed, including a 2005 court ruling that the town had improperly adopted zoning changes, which was then overturned by a state Appeals Court.

The planning board approved the site plan in 2006 - a move that DANA unsuccessfully challenged in court - and in 2007, BET finally broke ground.

In 2008, the Department of Environmental Conservation halted construction over concerns about improper storm water draining and erosion issues.

At that time, town officials said that they had hoped to have the shopping center open for that Christmas season, but those plans would have to be pushed to the following year.